Stop-leak composition for automobile cooling systems and the like



United States Patent 3,322,548 STOP-LEAK COMPOSITION FOR AUTOMOBILE COOLING SYSTEMS AND THE LH(E Tull C. Lasswell and John L. Monier, Clarkston, Mich.,

assignors to TRI-X Corporation, Oxford, Mich., a corporation of Michigan No Drawing. Filed Oct. 20, 1965, Ser. No. 499,061 7 Claims. (Cl. 106-33) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A stop-leak composition and method of obtaining a stop-leak composition which is in the form of a dry pellet consisting essentially of ginger rhizome flour, ground nut shells and boric acid powder.

The invention relates to a stop-leak composition, and to a method of preparing such a composition. More particularly, the invention relates to .a stop-leak composition particularly adapted for use in the cooling systems of internal combustion engines, although not necessarily limited thereto.

Stop-leak compositions found in the prior art generally consist essentially of a starchy paste such as corn starch, cereal flours and the like, mixed with a powdered metal, such as aluminum, or with powdered graphite. Some compositions also contain rosins or gums, and may include in addition a small quantity of soluble oil or soap.

Such compositions function on the theory of forming a film or coating over the leaks in internal combustion engine cooling systems. Such a film or coating is gene-rally not of a permanent nature, so that the leak may reappear after a short time, with the result that repeated treatments of the cooling system are required. Other preparations containing a soluble oil or soap have a tendency to coat the surfaces exposed to the flow of cooling fluid with -an oily film, so that the action of any stopleak ingredients contained in the composition are somewhat prevented from strongly adhering to the surfaces proximate a leak, and the oily film thus formed is detrimental to proper heat transfer between the cooling system surfaces and the coolant fluid.

The present invention provides a stop-leak composition which avoids most of the shortcomings of prior art stop-leak compositions, and which further acts as an eflicient rust preventer without the addition of any oil or soap to the composition, which provides -a permanent seal for any hole or crack in the cooling system, and which is compatible with all known types of anti-freeze compositions.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved and novel stop-leak composition preferably for internal combustion engine cooling systems.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved stop-leak composition which produces a permanent seal.

A further object of the invention is to provide .a stopleak com-position substantially inhibiting the formation of rust and corrosion within a cooling system.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a stop-leak composition which provides appropriate lubrication for the water pump in the cooling system without any of the inconveniences resulting from the use of an oily stop-leak composition.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved stop-leak composition which does not deteriorate with time, which has no deleterious action on metal or rubber, which is compatible with all known antifreeze solutions, Which is available in a dry form such as ice a small size pill or pellet capable of treating a substantial volume of coolant fluid, which does not clog restricted passages in the cooling system, which dissolves almost immediately in cold as well as hot water, which is capable of sealing substantially large cracks or holes, which does not form any sludge in the cooling system and which may be readily prepared from substantially cheap ingredients readily obtainable on the market.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent when the following description of a preferred embodiment, which is given for illustrative purposes only, is considered together with the method of preparing the same and the claims appended hereto.

In the preparation of a stop-leak composition according to the invention, hardwood nut shells, such as almond shells, pecan shells and the like, are finely ground in a hammermill until the nut shell powder thus obtained is capable of passing through at least a No. 30 mesh screen. Ginger rhizomes are also ground in a separate hammermill until the resulting ginger rhizome flour is also capable of passing through a No. 30 mesh screen. I The ground hardwood shell powder and the ginger rhizome flour are then mixed, or blent, in a ribbon mixer for approximately five minutes. About 25 to 50% by weight of ground hardwood nut shell powder is mixed to 50 to 75% by weight of ginger rhizome flour. Preferably, the proportions are 3040% of ground shells to -70% of ginger rhizomes.

To the mixture of ground and screened hardwood nut shell powder and ginger rhizome flour is added a binder consisting of boric acid powder, preferably about 4% by weight of boric acid being thus added to the mixture, and the blend is thoroughly mixed for another 2 tov 3 minutes.

The mixture of ingredients is then fed to a continuously rotating pellet making machine in which the ingredients are compacted in individual pellets under a pressure of at least 2 tons per square inch, and preferably between 20 tons per square inch and 40 tons per square inch.

The finished product, in the form of a pellet, substantially one inch in diameter by /8 inch in height, and weighing substantially from nine to ten grams, has been found sutfiificient for treating 12 to 16 gallons of coolant fluid. Consequently, one such pellet is suflicient for a compact automobile, while two pellets or pills would preferably be used in standard automobiles.

Pellets made according to the invention have been found to be an effective cooling system sealant capable of sealing not only tiny pin holes and narrow cracks but also holes as large as .030 inch and more. The ingredient particles penetrate inside the hole or crack and rapidly turn into a plastic-like permanent seal strongly adhering to the metal or rubber material of the lips of the crack. The plastic-like permanent seal is so strong that it can not be dislodged by the flow of cool-ant in the system. As long as the coolant has sealant particles in suspension therein, the particles seek out and seal any new leak that may develop. Furthermore, the fine particles of the ingredients in the composition of the invention have a softening action upon the coolant fluid and cause a scrubbing and scouring action upon the internal surfaces of the cooling system, thus inhibiting the formation of rust and corrosion. In addition, the water pump is kept properly lubricated by the non-oily lubricating action of the ingredients, such nonoily lubricating action avoiding the formation of an oily film on the internal surface, which is detrimental to heat transfer and which has a deleterious effect on the adhesion qualities of any stop-leak composition.

The pellets made according to the teachings of the invention dissolve almost immediately in the coolant into very fine particles that do not clog the radiator cores and that remain constantly in suspension in the coolant fluid,

as long as such coolant fluid is circulating, thus avoiding the formation of sludge deposits at the lower or stagnant portions of the cooling system.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A stop-leak composition for the cooling system of an internal combustion engine consisting essentially of ginger rhizome flour, ground nut shells and boric acid powder.

2. A stop-leak composition for the cooling system of an internal combustion engine consisting essentially of finely ground ginger rhizome flour and finely ground nut shell powder in proportions of substantially 50 to 75% by weight of said ginger rhizome flour, with an addition of about 4% by weight of boric acid powder.

3. A stop-leak composition in the form of a compact dry pellet containing essentially ginger rhizome flour, ground nut shells and boric acid powder.

4. A non-oily, stop-leak composition in the form of a compact dry pellet containing essentially finely ground ginger rhizomes and finely ground nut shells in proportions of substantially 50 to 75% by Weight of said ginger rhizomes, with a small addition of about 4% by Weight of boric acid.

5. A method of obtaining a stop-leak composition comprising the steps of: finely grinding nut shells, finely separately grinding ginger rhizomes, thoroughly mixing said ground nut shells and said ground ginger rhizomes, and adding a binder consisting essentially of boric acid.

6. A method of obtaining a stop-leak composition comprising the steps of: finely grinding hardwood nut shells, finely separately grinding ginger rhizomes, thoroughly mixing said nut shells and said ginger rhizomes, adding a binder consisting essentially of boric acid, and forming dry pellets of said composition by compaction at a pressure of at least 2 tons per square inch.

7. A method of obtaining a non-oily stop-leak composition in the form of a dry pellet, said method comprising the steps of: finely grinding hardwood nut shells in a hammer-mill to a powder capable of passing through a No. mesh screen, finely grinding ginger rhizomes in a separate hammermill to a flour also capable of passing through a No. 30 mesh screen, thoroughly mixing said hardwood nut shells and said ginger rhizomes, adding a binder consisting essentially of boric acid powder, and forming pellets of said composition by compaction at a pressure betwen 20 tons per square inch and tons per square inch.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,580,719 1/1952 Barton 10633 2,712,533 7/1955 Mitchell 106--241 ALEXANDER H. BRODMERKEL, Primary Examiner.

T. MORRIS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A STOP-LEAK COMPOSITION FOR THE COOLING SYSTEM OF AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF GINGER RHIZOME FLOUR, GROUND NUT SHELLS AND BORIC ACID POWDER. 